Daley Thompson

Daley Thompson's Biography

Daley Thompson, is a former decathlete from England. He won the decathlon gold medal at the Olympic Games in 1980 and 1984, and broke the world record for the event four times.
With four world records, two Olympic gold medals, three Commonwealth titles, and wins in the World and European Championships, Daley Thompson is often considered the greatest decathlete the world has ever seen.
In 1983 Daley was crowned the all-round king at the inaugural World Championships and became the first decathlete to hold the European, World and Olympic titles simultaneously.
After his Olympic success, Thompson won his third Commonwealth title in 1986 but after that he never quite recaptured the superlative form of earlier years. In 1987 he suffered his first decathlon defeat for nine years when he finished ninth in the World Championships, and at his third Olympics in Seoul in 1988 he finished fourth. He made the Commonwealth Games team for the fourth time in 1990 but was forced to withdraw because of injury
Thompson was a natural showman who endeared himself to the British public with his irreverent personality, notably when he whistled the British national anthem God Save the Queen with studied insouciance after receiving his gold medal in 1984.
On retirement from athletics in 1992, Thompson had periods of association with various football clubs and also had stints as a television presenter. Thompson worked as a fitness trainer and motivational speaker, as well as appearing at corporate events.